I've read many things during this December 2009 about how people celebrate Christmas. It seems we reserve Christmas Day for doing those special things not done the rest of the year. But why limit it to just that day? Jesus wasn't just Jesus on the day He was born. He was Christ every day of the year. He gave, forgave, and performed miracles every day He was on earth and continues to do so.

My husband is an odd sort of fellow, in that he gives me "sussys" every day of the year. Sussies are gifts anytime he thinks of me. He comes in from Walmart and says, "I have a sussie for you. It might be a bag of chocolate kisses, a new pen, pair of gloves or just a stick of gum. He goes on a trip, comes back and has sussies for everyone. I've carried on that tradition and shared it with all my friends and family. Everyone has adopted that as something to share.

Hmmm, what a novel idea. Thinking of someone you care about for no reason at all. No holiday, no special occasion, just "because." And he doesn't make a big production out of it, no fancy wrappings, bows, just pulls it out of his pocket and says, "Oh, I was thinking of you today." And pulls out of his pocket a bottle of $50 perfume, not even in it's box, like it was nothing, just a wonderful thought of me.

So, the idea of Christmas, celebrating the birth and life of Jesus Christ, and what He did to show how much He loves us should be traditionally thinking of those you care about EVERY day of the year. And not with a huge, expensive gift. It could be just a big hug, a sloppy kiss, a sticky note left on your desk that says, "I love you."

And if you want to give an expensive gift, give it on April the 21st (just as an example). Say, "I thought of you today and wanted you to know, so I brought you a "sussy."